Locomotive pantograph



sept. i2, 1961 M. zloN 2,999,334 LocoMoTIvE: PANTOGRAPH Filed Aug. 15,1957 3 Z0 40 20 27// i f2 f' /7 TE ZZ Z5 4 f 25 ATTO R N EYS UnitedStates Patent York Filed Ang. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 678,375 3 Claims. (Cl.46-217) This invention relates to model railway trains and moreparticularlyito model railway locomotives.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pantographassembly for model railway locomotives having means for effectingautomatic adjustments in height so as to authentically simulate fullscale electric locomotives.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pantographassembly of the above type which may be readily mounted uponsubstantially any model railway locomotive, has a relatively few numberof moving parts, and which is simply and authentically styled.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a pantograph for modelrailway locomotives bearing the above objects in mind which is of simpleconstruction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive tomanufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a model railway locomotive embodyingpantographs made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the pantographs shown inFIG. 1;

IG. 3 is a side elevational view of the pantograph shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded side elevational view of the elements of thepantograph assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing theconnection between certain parts of the device; and

FIG. -6 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional view taken along line6 6 of FIG. 2.

In accordance with the present invention, a pantograph assembly has beenprovided that includes an upper and lower frame pivotally connectedtogether and having a spring acting between certain parts thereof foreffecting the vertical height adjustment, which pantograph may bereadily applied to provide an authentic appearance to model electricrailway locomotives.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a pantograph assembly 10made in accordance with the present invention is shown in operativeassociation, in FIG. l, upon the top of a model railway locomotive 12.As is more clearly shown in FIG. 4, the pantograph 10 includes a lowerbase frame having a central portion 14 with spaced parallel anddownwardly extending tabs 15 which provide means for securing thepanto'graph to the top of the locomotive. The upper surface of thecentral portion 14 is provided with a lug 17 at each corner, each suchlug 17 having an outwardly and upwardly inclined surface 18. A bottomside arm 22 is pivotally connected to each end of the central portion 14by means of yieldable exible strips 25 which extend therebetween. Theadjacent corners of the side arms 22 are provided with similar lugs 20having upwardly and inwardly inclined surfaces 19 for engagement withthe inclined surfaces 1S of the central portion lugs 17. As is moreclearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 of the drawing, the lugs 17, 20 act asstops for limiting the upward pivotal movement of the side arms 22relative ICC to the central portion 14 of the bottom frame about thepivotal connection formed by the flexible strips 25.

Referring now Vto FIGURE 3 of the drawing, it will be noted that eachside arm 22 of the bottom frame includes a pair of diagonally extendingcross bars 27 which extend from one corner to the diagonally oppositecorner thereof. The outer free end of each side arm 22' is also providedwith a socket 29 through which a transverse bore 31 extends. Each ofthese bores 31 pivotally receives a pivot pin 33 integral with the outerfree corner of each top side arm 34 of the upper frame which is alsoprovided with cross bars 35. 'I'he central portion 37 of the top frameis provided with upwardly facting simulated collector shoes 37 which areadapted to Contact a simulated overhead trolley wire. Similar flexibleyieldable strips 318 pivotally connect each of the upper side arms 34 tothe central portion of the upper frame, in a manner described inconnection with the flexible strips 25 of the lower frame.

With the upper and lower frames assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, a tensionspring `4t) secured at opposite ends upon the junctures of each pair ofcross bars 27 on the opposite side arms of the lower frame urges theouter ends of the frames toward each other, thereby raising thecollector shoes 37 upwardly relative to the fixed central portion 14 ofthe lower frame. This accurately simulates conventional pantographs andmaintains the collector shoes 37 in contact with the trolley wire at alltimes. It will now be recognized that the respective stops 17, 20 limitthis upward movement of the collector shoes and prevents the completecollapse of the pantograph when the locomotive is removed fromassociation with the overhead trolley wire. As a result, the true shapeof the pantograph is maintained at all times, while providing suicientresiliency to simulate actual pantograph movements.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I. claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A toy pantograph for model railway locomotives including parts of asize adapted to be mounted on such model railway locomotives, comprisinga base frame having an upwardly extending lug at each end with an outerlower substantially vertical face and an upper beveled face, a bottomside arm on each side of said base frame each having a lug on the endadjacent said base frame with a substantially vertical lower faceopposing the vertical face of the lug on said base member and with abeveled upper face at the same elevation as the beveled upper face ofthe lug on said base member, flexible means connecting the lugs of saidbase member with each of said side arms intermediate the height of thevertical portionsk of said lugs, said side arms being pivotal upwardlyto move the beveled faces of opposing lugs of said base-member and saidside arms into Contact, l

simulated collector shoe means, a pair of upper side arms, one end ofeachvof which is pivotally connected to each respective bottom side armat the end thereof which is unconnected to said base frame member andthe other end of which is pivotally connected to said collector shoemeans, and a spring connected to said bottom side arms at a location oneach above the tops of said lugs when said pantograph -is in a raisedoperative position with the beveled faces of said lugs in contact, saidspring biasing said lugs into contact when said pantograph is in saidupper operative position.

I` 2,999,834 3 Y 4 2. A toy pentograph according to claim 1, whereinlarms and between upper side arms on opposite sides of said base frameincludes downwardly extending fastening said base frame.

means for securing said @autograph to the top of a model References Cmdin the me of this patent locomotive.

3. A toy pantograph according to claim 1, further 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS Williams Mar. 9, 1937 comprising cross bars extending betweenbottom side 2,073,189

